Memberships: Ofsted-style inspection undertaken by CfBT (formerly Worldwide Education Services).
European Council of International Schools, Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS), British Schools in the Middle East (BSME).

State/Independent: Independent: private non-profit

Lower School Ages: 2-7

Lower School Sexes: Co-ed

Lower School Numbers: Pre-Foundation (ages 2-3); Foundation (4 years of age before the 1st of September); Years 1&2 (ages 6-7);

Middle School Ages: 8-10

Middle School Sexes: Co-ed

Middle School Numbers: Years 3-5

Senior School Ages: 11-13

Senior School Sexes: Co-ed

Senior School Numbers: Year 6 -7
As of Sep 2011: added Year 8
Preschool-13 years: 335 boys and girls

CfBT/WES (DfE BSO approved) - CfBT Education Trust - One of six inspection providers that have been approved to inspect under the British Schools Overseas programme.
According to the UK Dept of Education website, to be recognised by the Department for Education, "a British school overseas must have an inspection report which shows that their performance against all the standards is at least satisfactory. This reflects the standards required for continuing registration as a school in England. Schools meeting the standards will have their inspection reports published on the Department's website and will be allocated a unique reference number on the national school reference system, Edubase".
A map on this link shows the locality of each British school overseas which has been inspected under the Department's inspection scheme.
Individual inspection reports are available to download via the school location pins on the map.
CfBT offers accreditation through the experience and services of its WES department, formerly known as WES World-wide Education Service (which no longer exists in that form; in June 2006, CfBT Education Trust acquired WES World-wide Education Service). For ten years in its own right, WES was also an Ofsted contractor in the UK. CfBT Education Trust is currently a large Recognised Inspection Provider (RISP).
CfBT undertakes international inspection as part of their service to schools. Schools which wish to seek the benchmark of accreditation must affiliate to CfBT, enabling the development of an 'educational partnership relationship'. CfBT "'tells it how it is' with recommendations for improvement and full acknowledgement of all that is good', but their accreditation inspection has set criteria to be met.
Always of particular interest to the GSGI, CfBT's accreditation and international inspection work looks carefully at governance as well as leadership and management. In fact, the CfBT accreditation criteria includes most of the main "headings" of an Ofsted framework (because as they comment, any thorough inspection will cover those main areas, whether Ofsted UK or international).
In 2006, CfBT introduced an additional requisite that accredited schools remain affiliated to them, enabling them to keep an eye on any significant changes in schools which might have an adverse effect.
Schools are accredited for a specific period of time, and parents looking at a school can ask about that in order to be sure a school is not claiming accredited status beyond that academic year.
NB Remember the GSGI rule of thumb: most reputable schools will allow parents to see the actual report, and of course will not rewrite the disagreeable or uncomfortable bits. But if you have any question about the accuracy of the report, contact accrediting agency itself.

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